Polarography (/poʊləˈrɒɡrəfi/), derived from "polar" and "graphy", is a technique in analytical chemistry used to study the electrochemical behavior of analytes in solution. The word is spelled with a "p" at the beginning to reflect its root word, "polarity". The second syllable is pronounced with a long "o" sound, and the third and fourth syllables are pronounced with a short "o" sound followed by the letter "r". The final syllable, "fi", is spelled with a "ph" to reflect the Greek origin of the word ("graph" meaning "to write").
Polarography is a branch of electrochemistry that involves the study and analysis of chemical substances through the measurement of their electrochemical characteristics. It is a technique used to determine the concentrations of certain compounds or elements in solution by investigating their behavior at an electrode surface.
The method of polarography relies on the principle of electrolysis, where an electric potential is applied to an electrode immersed in the solution of interest. As the potential increases or decreases linearly, the resulting current flowing through the electrode is measured. This allows the determination of various electrochemical parameters, including diffusion coefficients, reduction or oxidation potentials, and reaction rate constants.
Polarography is particularly useful for analyzing substances that have reversible redox (reduction-oxidation) reactions. By examining the reduction or oxidation current as a function of the applied voltage, information about the composition and concentration of the substance being studied can be obtained.
The technique of polarography has diverse applications in different fields, such as environmental monitoring, pharmaceutical analysis, and industrial quality control. It is widely utilized in the determination of trace metals, organic compounds, and biological substances in various samples. Polarographic measurements can provide valuable data for research, process optimization, and quality assurance purposes.
Overall, polarography is a powerful analytical tool in the field of electrochemistry, offering insights into the electrochemical behavior of substances and enabling the accurate quantification of various compounds in solution.
The term "polarography" was coined by the Czech chemist Jaroslav Heyrovský in 1922. It is derived from the combination of two words: "polar" and "graphy".
The term "polar" comes from the Latin word "polaris", which means "of or pertaining to the pole". In the context of polarography, it refers to the use of electrodes with polarizable surfaces, such as mercury or dropping mercury electrode, to study electrochemical reactions.
The term "graphy" comes from the Greek word "graphein", which means "to write". In the context of scientific terminology, "graphy" refers to the process of recording or analyzing through a graphical representation.